Ewan McGregor Replaces Johnny Depp in Terry Gilliam's Don Quixote

Terry Gilliam recently revealed to Empire that Ewan McGregor has signed on for a leading role in the epically delayed Don Quixote movie. The tale of the production of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is almost as long as the book itself.

It started nearly a decade ago: in August 2000, Gilliam began production on the film, which is based on the literary masterpiece. Production was canceled after a series of problems including inclement weather, personal injury and sudden budget cuts. In 2009, Gilliam picked up the remains of his earlier effort to start anew.

But Gilliam’s original casting of Johnny Depp as a 21st-century advertising executive who gets transported to 17th-century Spain is now nearly impossible due to Depp’s packed schedule (which includes the upcoming Piratesof theCarribean 4) Instead, McGregor will join the cast opposite Robert Duvall, who will play the knight-errant Quixote.

Production for the film is slated to begin in September and will work with a $20 million budget. Here’s to hoping that the film doesn’t end up like one of Quixote’s windmill monsters: all in his head.